The invention concerns a device for the simultaneous locking of a plurality of actuators.
In many cases of control technology, actuators are employed, which, upon dropping out of operation or being switched off from the energy supply, are brought into a safety position and locked in that position. Gotte, H. J., in xe2x80x9cSingle Blade Control in a Helicopter by means of Servo-hydraulic Actuators in the Rotor Headxe2x80x9d, 11th Achner Fluid Technology Colloquium, Field of Expertise, xe2x80x9cHydraulicsxe2x80x9d, in Aachen 1994, made known the provision of safety pistons in the case of helicopters with actuators for individual control of rotor blades. These pistons, upon failure of energy for one actuator piston, are run back into a safe position and held there. For this purpose, the safety pistons possess a conically shaped end, which engages itself in a wedge shaped annular groove in the actuator piston. When the actuator is hydraulically activated, the hydraulic pressure acts on the conical end of the safety pistons and slides these safety pistons against the force of a spring into a free float position for the actuator pistons. If the hydraulic pressure totally fails, then the springs slide the safety pistons back into the wedge shaped groove and lock the control pistons in position without play. The said springs can be gas springs.
A separate locking apparatus with an operating mechanism is provided for each actuator. Upon failure of energy supply, all locking apparatuses must be operated at the same time and all actuators must be locked. This is particularly necessary, if the actuators or the locking mechanisms are not hydraulic, but actuated by electricity. Because of the multiplicity of the necessary components, the safety risks are thus increased along with construction expense and the weight.
The invention has the purpose of creating a device for the simultaneous locking of a plurality of actuators, which is also suitable for application with either electrical or electromagnetic operated actuators, as well as requiring relatively little energy and installation space. This purpose is achieved by the features of claim 1. Further embodiments arise from the subordinate claims.
In accord with the invention are several second locking elements connected to one another. These are operated by a common apparatus. In accord with the number of the locking elements so joined together, just so many operational parts are correspondingly dispensed with, so that the number of the necessary components is strongly reduced. Thereby, the safety risk is minimized, which has great bearing on helicopters operation. Beyond this, the weight and the cost of construction is lessened.
The connection of the second locking elements between one another is formulated very simply, if all locking elements are located in one plane. These planes can be a longitudinal plane or a transverse plane, advantageously, the first locking elements and/or the actuators are located in one plane, so that, by means of transition elements to bridge over, the distances due to different planes are avoided.
Particularly advantageous is the application of the invented device in the case of helicopters. In this case, the safety risk, the weight and the inertia in the rotating system play a significant role. Beyond this, for the individual control of the rotor blades, as a rule several actuators are required in the rotating system. In the case of failure of the supply of energy, the said blades simultaneously must be brought into a safe position and locked, in order that the helicopter can be more safely navigated by mechanical means. Advantageously, the actuators operate by means of a mixing arm as part of the control system of the rotor blades. The mixing arms are installed within the rotor-mast and possess three interconnecting axles, namely, one for the actuator, one for the control rods of the mechanical control and one for a control rod connected to a pitch change horn.
The first locking elements are, in an advantageous manner, in the area of the pivoted axle of the actuator on the mixing arm and are there to connected. If the first locking element is locked by the second element, then the individual control of the rotor blades is blocked from the actuator. Under this condition, only the mechanical control is operative. Now too, the first and second locking elements advantageously are placed in a plane of rotation of the rotor-mast, whereby the second locking element, can be connected with one another by means of a locking ring or a star-shaped element. The second elements, now being connected together, in accordance with one embodiment can be constructed as wedge shaped recesses of the locking ring, into which the first locking elements can engage, upon displacement of the locking ring or the star shaped element. For unlocking, the locking ring or the star shaped element is rotated by an auxiliary force countering the force of a spring into an unlocking position, into which the first locking element, at least within specified limits, is freely movable in the positional direction of the actuator. Upon shutting off, or by the failure of energy, the prestressed spring turns back the locking ring, or the alternate star-shaped element, into the locking position, so that the first locking element is locked in a more safe position. Instead of the rotational movement of the locking ring or the start shaped element, it is also possible, that the locking ring, that is, the connection part of the second locking element carries out an axial movement leading to the locking of the first locking element, if the locking elements are correspondingly constructed or placed for such a function.
Play and positional tolerances can lead to problems by the placement of several actuators on one locking ring. These can, in a reliable manner, be compensated for, in that, either the first of the second locking elements are made resilient in a springing manner and are themselves prestressed. This has the result, that a clamp up is excluded on the part of the locking and in the locked condition, some freedom of play is assured.
In the description and in the claims, many features in this connection are presented and described. The expert will give consideration to the combined features in the concept of the purpose to be achieved and come to advantageous further combinations on his own.